Water Controversy Is Now A Crisis

Payson property owners need to take action before their water supply goes down the drain and their home values sink to bedrock.

The current water controversy is now a crisis and, although being blamed on SRP, it has in fact been brought about the by the current town council and its "growth at any cost" credo.

Beholden to developers, the councilmen have been very good at masquerading as do-gooders with camouflage language of "good jobs," "affordable housing" and "scientific drilling." They also have been running up the Town's debts without the citizens' knowledge or permission.

When they leave office next spring, they'll just walk away and leave us in one heck of a mess. And, there's not much we can do about it then.

We urge Payson residents to sign the current petition asking this council to cease and desist creating new subdivisions until this water mess is cleared up. About 300 new homesites already have been approved this year, plus the Town has approximately 2,500 vacant lots that are entitled to receive town water anytime they are developed.

To what extreme do you wish to go in the name of "sharing"?

Somehow the Town believed it could go ahead with new subdivisions before finding a new water supply. How crazy. Now it wants to blame SRP for the stoppage of drilling at Mayfield Canyon. But that credit should go to a very effective citizens action group composed of Star Valley and Diamond Point Shadows residents who have been frightened into action. Payson residents should feel the same fright.

What's behind all this is simple greed. And what's behind this letter is anger that our so-called leaders would dare to give away our water, draining us dry, in the name of growth. As former real estate sales people in Tucson, we were instructed that we should feel duty bound to protect private property rights and values. Where's that feeling here?